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Debt Recovery Threat? Help

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  • 30-03-2011 5:00pm
    #1
    rightyabe
    Registered Users Posts: 812 ✭✭✭


    Bacically a Uncle of mine got a letter from a Engineering sub-contractor threating to get a debt recovery agent, for unpaid work of €1,050.

    What are my uncles rights?

    He paid most of the bill, and was not happy that they charged €200 a hour for labour for an apprentice welder, so he refused to pay the whole ammount.

    Thanks in advance.


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    #2
    thehairyelbow
    Registered Users Posts: 302 ✭✭thehairyelbow


    Reckon they're just spoofing. Don't panic. Let them send a few more letters. In the meantime get some legal advice.


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    #3
    gerrycollins
    Registered Users Posts: 1,799 ✭✭✭gerrycollins


    if your uncle agreeded to a written quotation then there is very little he can do other than pay the outstanding bill. if there was no initial quotation which included the labour price then he can fight it.

    if the work there after was shoddy and he didnt complain again he has little to stand on however the debt collection agency might settle for half the bill if he contests it on proven poor workmanship.

    how long since the completition of works to he recieving this letter?


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    #4
    rightyabe
    Registered Users Posts: 812 ✭✭✭rightyabe


    gerrycollins wrote: »
    if your uncle agreeded to a written quotation then there is very little he can do other than pay the outstanding bill. if there was no initial quotation which included the labour price then he can fight it.

    if the work there after was shoddy and he didnt complain again he has little to stand on however the debt collection agency might settle for half the bill if he contests it on proven poor workmanship.

    how long since the completition of works to he recieving this letter?


    The work finished 8-10 months ago, the work was to a good standard but they had to make the piece twice as the first time thy tried to install it it fell apart so they took it back to their workshop to repair it. Actually the apprentice labour charge was €400 per hour (thats approx €832,000 salary before tax, working 40 hours a week).

    What would you suggest my uncles replies to this letter, maybe ask them to "validate the debt" cheers for the answer.


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    #5
    gerrycollins
    Registered Users Posts: 1,799 ✭✭✭gerrycollins


    did he get a written price quotation before the job started with all costs involved? there should be nothing extra charged for the "repair" work


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    #6
    Bigcheeze
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,858 ✭✭✭Bigcheeze


    Also if he wasn't happy with the bill, he shouldn't have paid anything until he had agreed a revised amount with the company. They'd be far more willing to negotiate if he hadn't paid.

    I wouldn't be worried about the collection agency if he hadn't agreed the amount in writing.


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    #7
    rightyabe
    Registered Users Posts: 812 ✭✭✭rightyabe


    gerrycollins wrote: »
    did he get a written price quotation before the job started with all costs involved? there should be nothing extra charged for the "repair" work

    There was no written quotation before job commenced. AFAIK there was nothing extra charged for the "repair" work.


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    #8
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    OK so this may not be a popular point...

    He got these guys in to do a job, no talk of the cost or rates or anything..
    Got a hugely inflated bill, which was no surprise as no deal was made = blank cheque for the contractor..

    Started paying the bill which will demonstrate approval of the quality and price of the job..

    I'd say he should pay up.. Some of these debt collection agencies (gangsters) can be nasty fellows and not who you'd want round for a "chat".

    Chalk it down to experience, lesson learned the hard way...


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    #9
    rightyabe
    Registered Users Posts: 812 ✭✭✭rightyabe


    bbam wrote: »
    OK so this may not be a popular point...

    He got these guys in to do a job, no talk of the cost or rates or anything..
    Got a hugely inflated bill, which was no surprise as no deal was made = blank cheque for the contractor..

    Started paying the bill which will demonstrate approval of the quality and price of the job..

    I'd say he should pay up.. Some of these debt collection agencies (gangsters) can be nasty fellows and not who you'd want round for a "chat".

    Chalk it down to experience, lesson learned the hard way...


    He only paid the bill when the work was complete, not when it was on going (kind of a "thats all i'm paying ya) He would of been a friend of the family/neighbour and he lived right next door to the house my uncle was building so the client suggested we get him.


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    #10
    gerrycollins
    Registered Users Posts: 1,799 ✭✭✭gerrycollins


    if there was no advance notice of costs then you should only pay what you think is deserved, howeve be prepared to back up your claims if you want to get off scott free.

    however I suggest that you offer whatever you can on the balance and pay up the collectors might accecpt 50% of the outstanding bill, so offer them 35% of the bill, they will come back with an alternative then meet them in the middle.

    if you cant afford to pay anything full stop then enter talks with them and offer a €5 a week(im not kidding)


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    #11
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    gerrycollins wrote: »
    if you cant afford to pay anything full stop then enter talks with them and offer a €5 a week(im not kidding)

    That's if they're the talking type of debt recovery people, offering the action type €5 a week mightn't help much at all....

    Seriously this guy left himself open to be ripped off, and guess what.... he got ripped off.... It would be best to pay up and learn from the experience.


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    #12
    gerrycollins
    Registered Users Posts: 1,799 ✭✭✭gerrycollins


    bbam wrote: »
    That's if they're the talking type of debt recovery people, offering the action type €5 a week mightn't help much at all....

    Seriously this guy left himself open to be ripped off, and guess what.... he got ripped off.... It would be best to pay up and learn from the experience.

    Trust me these guys will take whatever they can and if you make any offer of substance then they have to consider what a judge would say if brought before the courts so they more than likely will agree and settle

    Ok the €5a week was a little weak however if you prove your means and thats all you can afford again going before a judge has to be considered as it could be an extra charge the debt collectors will clock up


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    #13
    rightyabe
    Registered Users Posts: 812 ✭✭✭rightyabe


    Just to give more info here, Its the Engineering firm that sent a letter threatening to get a debt recovery agent involved, he had no contact from a debt collector.

    I know his apprentice welder well and jokingly got on to him about being on €400 a hour, he laughed and said more like €400 a week!

    Also to engineering firm owner also lost alot of money in the (pyrmid)scheme to the French fella was running, cant think of his name now. He is known as a thick fella and doesn't speak to his 2 brothers or mother, but if ya were a stranger you would think he was lovely (hes a sweet william)

    he recently threatened to damage property belonging to my uncle and tried to run over his toes in a shop forecourt.


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